Just Another Day in Paradise
by xyzaniainfinity
Summary: Sam ponders after a day with Skids. Movie/AU


Pairings: None  
>Ratings: T<br>Category(ies): Adventure/AU  
>ContinuityUniverse: G1/Movieverse (G1 Skids)  
>Status: One-shot<br>Summary: Sam ponders after a day with Skids (no, not based on the live-action Skids).

**Title: Another Day in Paradise**

"OUT OF THE WAY SAM!"

Samuel James Witwicky didn't even think He never had to in all his life. Not since the past twenty years anyway.  
>He dove for cover towards his left behind another row of steel racks and in a moment too soon. As the entire scaffolding collapsed, showers of dirt, glass and broken pottery tumbled down, sending debris everywhere.<br>Barely an hour in and yet here they were, practically destroying the entire warehouse of Pert's Home and Gardens.  
>Business as usual. Two down, hopefully no more to go.<br>From his hiding place, Sam took the chance to look. Where there was once a structure stood was nothing more than a mountain of dirt with pottery pieces, flowers, evergreens and strewn about. It looked like an odd sort of dumpsite towards which a towering metallic figure drew near.  
>Sam held his breath. Fortunately, his only other companion was not one to let his guard down. Pausing inches away from the rubble, the latter observed the mess.<p>

The Autobot frowned slightly. So far there was nothing moving. Either the miniature con was dead, or simply waiting to pounce again. Minicons might have been frail looking compared to most cybertronians but they had armour that was tougher than most as well.  
>Sam reached for his pocket. Nothing on the device warned him of other energy signatures. The report had said there two and for once, there were only two.<br>Unless his scanner was malfunctioning. An Allspark piece could have been better but that was out of the question.  
>He got his confirmation as the Autobot reached into the rubble, pulling a twisted exoskeleton from the mess. Inwardly, Sam felt relief mixed with a little disgust . True, he'd been in the thick of a battle with the Autobots countless times and had even stared at Death in the face himself, still nothing could make him absolutely stand the sight of a corpse of another living being, human or not.<br>Plus the fact that this certain Autobot seemed so casual about it. Almost as if Sam had been picking out socks from his drawer.  
>"Blue?"<br>"Deactivated," Skids informed him. " All clear. We accomplished our mission with minimal collateral losses.,"  
>But then again, the Minicon wasn't exactly innocent nor defenseless.<br>Skids had disengaged his weapon.  
>Sam crept out from his cover, messy jeans and all.<p>

"Minimal losses, Skids?" Raisiing his arms to gesture at his surroundings, Sam tried not to show his agitation. "This place is a disaster zone! We practically wiped out what's left of their stock! It's like an earthquake happened here and… and…Oh crap " What was he to do, tell the owners the facility was derelict already as it had been the Minicons' playground.  
>Optics shone in his direction. Sam was used to this to feel bothered. He knew when the Autobots focused their attention like normal humans they meant business. But he did not get an answer.<br>"You are not damaged, Sam?" Skids inquired.  
>Sam rubbed his elbows. Now that Skids mentioned it, he felt a twinge in his left arm. He had scrapes all over it. Nothing too serious. But one was just enough to cause him a little pain. He supposed he'd gotten it when he was trying to defend himself from the Minicon that had it in for his face earlier.<br>He walked a few steps. No broken bones or sprains he felt. What a miracle. Ratchet would probably disagree later.  
>"Nope. Just bruises," Sam touched his arm gingerly. Ouch. Maybe he was just a little more damaged than he thought. "But I'm good enough to walk, really. Nothing broken as far as I can tell,"<br>There were shouts and the sound of non-alien engines from outside that interrupted them both. NEST had just arrived. Within minutes, an entire platoon of specially armed soldiers stormed the gate and rushed in. Guns drawn and shields up, they halted suddenly before the man and Autobot in amazement.  
>Stepping out from behind a young soldier that was his and Lennox's protégé, Robert Epps only let a chuckle.<br>"Stealing our thunder this time, Sam?"  
>"Reinforcements were not necessary," came the reply not from Sam but from his Autobot comrade. Skids was gazing down at the group of soldiers.<p>

This was not a situation critical enough on the national security level. Utilizing excess firepower than what was required would have only caused more destruction,"  
>Silence hung in the air. Sam looked up between Skids and his military friends. He had a feeling Epps was reining in the muscles in his neck as he did previously.<br>Epps' radio crackled to life, breaking the tension. All around him, his subordinates moved quickly to perform the standard procedures in the aftermath of an engagement. The Minicons were going to be hauled away to somewhere they wouldn't come alive and run amuck as sophisticated power tools.  
>"Will? Apparently we're a little late to the party," Epps listened for a few moments." Yeah I know,man. Alright we're packing up. I'll let Sam know,"<br>One of the soldiers exclaimed suddenly. He was now staring at the remains of what was first and foremost, the immobile form of the Minicon, Drillbit upon the mountain of dirt and debris that reminded Sam eerily of some makeshift grave.  
>"Scary thing, this one, "He remarked, "I'm never gonna look at my equipment this way again. One shot through. That's some fine shooting,"<br>Skids made a noise. "I would have used my pinpoint accuracy laser but that option was lost on me,"  
>Sam heaved a sigh. He had a feeling what was going to come next. One of his as duties as a federal liason and it was as difficult as his duties had been as a teenager.<br>"Next call's for you, Sam" Epps gave him a slight pat on the back. "Be sure to tell Mr. Lovelace his building's still standing," Sam shot him a funny look. "Give him the good and bad news. Worse case scenario, we could have been left with ground zero,"

One point made. But still there was a hard argument to be made over the physical and monetary losses the factory made. Over the phone, Lovelace had seemed but that might also be attributed desperation. But then again, they hadn't predicted the day their employees would come running out of the warehouse, babbling about manic monsters invading the place and calling 911.

Acceptable losses? Maybe Skids was right. No one had died. At least not one who was innocent or naïve. This once.  
>"Sergeant Epps, If you are not in need of my assistance, I must return to headquarters as I have received no further assignments,"<br>Epps took a moment to a gaze around (or so Sam thought). Then, rather off-handedly dismissed them. "Nah. We can handle it. See ya back at base,"

At Epps' response, humans soon found themselves staring at a sleek black and white Acura model. "Sam? I believe Prime has asked to meet with you,"  
>Without a word, Sam glided towards the car as the driver's door flew open. He could feel the silent, watching stares of Epps and his group. Yet as Epps waved him off with a jovial nod and he nodded back, he felt confident that, back at the base, the atmosphere wouldn't be any different.<br>One of these days, Sam thought as he sat, seemingly keeping his fingers on the steering wheel as any normal driver should. He would finally get used to the finesse of war…

Just another day in paradise.

_A/N: Now part of the ROLL FOR IT fic universe._


End file.
